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MCC Daily Tribune

Student Placement Changes

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many functions within higher education, including how students at MCC will be placed into entry level English and math courses. In response both to this disruption and to challenges in placing SUNY Online students using Accuplacer, Academic Services led a cooperative effort with Faculty Senate to quickly develop an alternate placement model for both English and mathematics. The models were developed collaboratively by faculty with subject matter expertise, staff from impacted service offices, and administrators.

The Provost's Office sent Faculty Senate a proposal detailing the alternative, provisional placement models for both English and mathematics on March 29th for review and consideration by senators and their constituents. Feedback was also solicited from the Student Government Association (SGA), Student Events and Governance Association (SEGA), and from the offices and departments who would be involved with implementing these plans. On Friday, April 3rd, Faculty Senate endorsed the proposed placement models. Based on the feedback received during the review process, the models were adjusted. The resulting provisional models are summarized below.

English Placement Model

MCC will use a GPA-based model by which students' cumulative high school GPAs will determine their placement within the four levels of the College's English matrix: ENG 101, ALP (ENG 101 & TRS 099), TRS 200, and TRS 100. Students with self-reported GPAs, i.e., those without GPAs that can be verified on an official high school transcript, will receive placement advisement from select faculty and staff. Please see the attached protocol for details.

Faculty Senate Resolution 1.1.10, which outlines the college's Placement Testing Waiver Policy, along with our current process for ESOL placement, still apply to the newly-adopted model.

The Multiple Measures English Placement Committee, which has been working on a GPA-based placement model since June 2019, will continue to develop a refined proposal--to be submitted by Summer 2020.

Mathematics Placement Model

Due to the COVID-19-related unavailability of Accuplacer, students first enrolling at MCC for the Fall 2020 semester will receive a provisional mathematics level placement based on information in the high school transcript, including:

  • Regents Exam scores for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II/Trigonometry
  • Course grades for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II/Trigonometry, and Pre-calculus
  • SAT and ACT math test scores
  • AP Calculus exam scores
  • High School GPA

This student-related information is incorporated in a grid to determine placement. Students will receive advisement as to the first math course, which could have a TRS or an MTH prefix, based on placement level and pathway. Students without documentation of any of these measures will receive placement advisement from the chairs of the Mathematics and Transitional Studies Departments.

The levels determined in this way will meet prerequisites for mathematics courses and for other courses that have math prerequisites. Cut scores and other details are provided on the attached Mathematics Department's grid.

Attached Files:
Provisional Math Placement Grid April 14 2020.pdf
Provisional English Placement Grid April 14 2020.pdf

Andrea Wade
Academic Services
04/15/2020